


The Trouble with Soulmates

by Zetal (Rodinia)



Series: Soulmate Dreams [47]
Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: F/M, Soulmate AU, past emotional abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-05
Updated: 2018-03-05
Packaged: 2019-03-27 04:43:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,312
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13873383
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rodinia/pseuds/Zetal
Summary: Both Georgi and Mari have good reasons not to be happy when he dreams of her on his eighteenth birthday.  Mari's bitter about soulmates in general.  Georgi has a girlfriend.  When Mari explains why she's so bitter, Georgi certainly can't blame her, and it makes him feel better about staying with his girlfriend.





	The Trouble with Soulmates

**Author's Note:**

  * For [DiamondWinters](https://archiveofourown.org/users/DiamondWinters/gifts).



The surroundings were completely unfamiliar, but they looked Japanese. Very cozy – maybe an inn? Georgi felt very comfortable there, which he took as a good sign. Not that he was all that excited about it, because if he was in Japan, he wasn’t here to meet Anya.

“Well, fuck. Hi. Guess you’re eighteen now?”

Georgi turned to where a girl had just walked in. Older than him, but not by too much. Two or three years, probably. “Yeah. I take it you know me?”

“Yep. Have a seat. I’ll be out in just a minute.” She disappeared, and Georgi settled in at one of the tables.

She came back quickly with a pot of tea and a couple bowls of food that smelled absolutely delicious. “You’re probably not gonna be happy with me when I’m done, but there are some things you need to know about me.”

“Like what?”

She poured two cups of tea, handing one to Georgi along with one of the bowls of food. “First thing is that I have another soulmate.”

“Oh. Well, that’s… not your fault, really. There’s probably a reason for it.”

“If there is I really don’t want to know about it.” Mari took a sip of tea. “Guess I should start at the beginning. My name is Katsuki Mari…”

Georgi dropped his chopsticks. “Wait. Katsuki? Do you have a brother?”

“Yes, why?”

“You have got to be kidding me. My rinkmate’s birthday was yesterday, and in his dream, he met Katsuki Yuuri. Your brother?” He looked at the food. “Is this katsudon?”

“Yes, it is. This is really weird. But okay.” Mari took a couple deep breaths. “I wish I was going to remember this so I’d have some warning about what’s gonna happen with Yuuri. Tell your rinkmate that his soulmate’s sister has a very low tolerance for bullshit happening in the name of soulmates and will kick his ass if she thinks he deserves it.”

“I’ll pass the message along, but I really don’t think you have to worry too much. Viktor’s a sweetheart and the way he was talking about Yuuri today…”

“Viktor?” Mari buried her face in her hands. “Nikiforov?”

“Um, yeah, actually. Viktor mentioned that Yuuri said he was a huge fan and was not going to believe it when Viktor showed up and said they were soulmates.”

Mari let her hands drop and took a couple deep breaths. “Viktor’s going to hate me.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Yuuri’s made me watch or read a ton of interviews, so I know what he thinks of soulmates. I kicked one soulmate out of my life and I’d be just as happy if you decided not to show up ever.”

“You would?” Georgi couldn't decide whether to be more relieved or insulted.

“Yeah. Find yourself a girlfriend, get married, I don’t care.” Mari took another deep breath. “It’s been a over a year and I’m still finding it hard to talk about, so bear with me here. My other soulmate’s name is Arakaki Kokei. He showed up shortly after his birthday. I was sixteen, and he was cute, charming, exciting. Hasetsu’s a small town, and I used to dream about getting away and having an exciting life. I fell for him hard. And he was my soulmate, right? So it was safe, I believed."

Mari paused to organize her thoughts. “For the first few months, it was great. Kokei couldn’t stay long because he had school, and so did I, so we only really talked on the phone. He was studying for his exams, so we didn’t even do much of that. Then in March, he moved to Fukuoka, going to university there. Allegedly going to university there, anyway. He only went when he absolutely had to. He’d come down to Hasetsu, pull me out of school – he was my soulmate, he could do it – and take me to Fukuoka to go drinking with his friends. Not every day, but at least once a week, and then weekends I spent in Fukuoka all the time.”

Another pause. “At first, I loved it. It was exciting, it was fun, it was… it was great. But then I realized I was falling behind at school, and when I asked Kokei to let me stay and catch up, he ignored it. Since I wasn’t eighteen, I had to go with him when he pulled me out of school. Mom and Dad were upset because I wasn’t doing much to help out around here, but Kokei didn’t care. Things were starting to get really bad for Yuuri at school, but because I was always off with Kokei, I couldn’t do anything to help him. I didn’t even notice how bad it was getting."

"Things are bad for Yuuri at school?" Georgi said.

"Yeah, he has to deal with some bullies and idiots. Yuuko and Takeshi look after him for now, but when they graduate, I don't know what's gonna happen. Anyway. When I started my last year of high school, I asked Kokei to leave me at school, let me prepare for my entrance exams. He told me I didn’t need to worry about them because after he got done with university he’d have a good job and we could get married and I wouldn’t need to work. After so long of him not accepting no from me, I didn’t try to fight him on that. I just… gave up."

Georgi flinched. This sounded like it was going to get worse - and it was bad enough already. "What happened? Did you drop out?"

Mari shook her head. “When I turned eighteen, two things happened. One: I realized I could put my foot down and say no, I was not leaving school, and he couldn’t make me anymore. I still went to Fukuoka with him every weekend, but he started leaving me alone during the week. I tried to do more to help out around here, but Mom and Dad told me that if I wanted to do well on my exams, they supported me using that time to study instead of working, so I did. I couldn’t have gone to the University of Tokyo, but I had a lot of options for where I did want to go. And two: I met you. Knowing that there was someone out there with just as much claim on me as he had helped me stand up to him a little better."

Georgi smiled a little at that. "I'm glad I could help. So where did you go?"

“I didn’t go to university. Kokei cracked down, and I fell back into the pattern of giving in. I lived with him in Fukuoka and worked a crappy job at a hotel in town. Then, in August, he got arrested for burglary. It wasn’t the first time he’d been arrested, but the cop I spoke to said that they were sure they could get the conviction and he’d go to prison for it. So I took the chance life was giving me. I packed up my stuff and came home. The cop passed along the message to Kokei that I wasn’t gonna help him or be there when he got out. I dunno how long his sentence was, even, but I know he got convicted.”

"Did you ever try to have him prosecuted for abuse?"

“I couldn't. There were a few lines Kokei wouldn’t cross. He didn’t call me names or say I was stupid or worthless or anything like that. He never hit me, never threatened to hurt people I cared about or our dog. He’d plead, cry, guilt-trip me, whatever he could think of to try to change my mind if I said no to sex… but if I kept saying no, he never forced it, even with threats."

"It's still abuse, what he did to you."

"Try proving that to the cops and the judges well enough to get it to go to trial. They basically don't take you to trial unless they're sure of a conviction, and proving emotional abuse is a lot harder than physical or sexual abuse." Mari drank some more tea while she calmed herself down. "I’m not saying he was a good person, but I do think that he has the potential to be. Maybe his time in prison will reform him, maybe not, but either way, I don’t want him back in my life.”

Georgi wiped away his tears. “And because of that experience, you have no reason to think I’d be any better. That’s perfectly understandable. To be honest, I think even Viktor would say you have every right to refuse to have anything to do with Kokei, soulmate or not. I’m going to come out with Viktor when he comes to meet Yuuri, but it’s just to let you know that I’m eighteen, I’ve had my dream, I know we’re soulmates, and I don’t want a romantic relationship with you.”

“You don’t?” Mari’s face was an odd mixture of relief and hurt.

“No. I have a girlfriend, a year younger than me, who I love so much. When she has her dream next year, things might change, but for now I want to stay with her. It might be different if you were more interested, but since you’re not, it works out.”

The hurt disappeared, leaving the relief. “Okay. Good. I’d say I’m looking forward to seeing you, but I’m not gonna remember, so…”

 

In the morning, Georgi braced himself for an awkward conversation. “Yakov? I’m going to Japan with Viktor after we’re done here.”

Yakov glared at Georgi. “And why do you think you get to do that? In Viktor’s case it’s a soulmate thing.”

“Mine, too. Katsuki Mari, Yuuri’s older sister.”

Viktor started laughing. “Are you serious? That’s amazing! I’m sorry it wasn’t Anya, but…”

“Save it, Viktor. Mari gave her blessing for me to stay with Anya, so that’s what I’m going to do. And if you give her any crap about it, I will personally make you regret it. Speaking of which, she said to tell you she has a very low tolerance for soulmate bullshit and she’s willing and able to kick your ass anytime she thinks you need it.” He walked away before Viktor could say anything, ignoring Yakov’s calls to come back.

 

Mari recognized Georgi the second she saw him, although she tried to hide it as she focused on the other visitor. “Viktor Nikiforov? What are you doing here?”

Viktor beamed. “I came to meet Yuuri! I think he deserves to hear the explanation first, but I’m here for Yuuri.”

Mari scowled. “And you, Georgi? What are you doing here?”

“I’m here…”

They were interrupted by the arrival of Yuuri and a couple of his friends, and the drama of Yuuri recognizing Viktor and Viktor taking him off to talk to him alone. Mari crossed her arms and glared at Georgi. “If your friend hurts my little brother…”

“He won’t. Yuuri’s his soulmate, and you know perfectly well how seriously Viktor takes that.”

“Great. So Yuuri’s likely to get forced into shit because soulmates.”

“No. Viktor’s not going to be like Kokei. He only came now because he wants to do this right, and he didn’t trust himself not to let something slip in an interview that meant Yuuri saw it on TV or in a magazine before he heard from Viktor. He’s not going to try to push Yuuri into anything he’s not ready for or doesn’t want.”

Mari straightened up and met Georgi's eyes. “If you know about Kokei, you must be eighteen.”

“Yeah. I’m not here to be like Kokei either. I just thought it would be a good idea to let you know this isn’t hanging over your head anymore – I know, I’m here if you wanna talk or be friends or whatever, but I have a girlfriend I’m planning on staying with at least for the next year or so.”

“And when she has her dream?”

Georgi shrugged. “If she leaves me, she leaves me. That doesn’t mean I’m going to come crying to you and just expect you to be with me instead.”

 

Anya didn’t leave him after meeting her soulmate in a dream, so Georgi relaxed. He and Anya would be together forever. He and Mari talked occasionally, but not much, and more Mari checking up on Yuuri after he moved to Saint Petersburg than anything else. When, out of nowhere, Anya dumped Georgi, he kept his word. He didn’t go running to Mari.

Mari showed up in Saint Petersburg instead. “Yuuri told me about Anya. Want her dead?”

“No. I still love her. I… I don’t even know why after all this time… if he just turned sixteen or eighteen or something, that would be one thing, but he’s thirty.” Georgi slumped into a chair. “Why are you here?”

“Figured you could use someone to cry to, and we’re soulmates. How horrible has Viktor been?”

Georgi laughed weakly. “Yuuri’s done a good job of at least not letting him be a dick when I can hear him. The rest of the rink’s been good about being sympathetic, so I’m okay, really. Thanks for coming, though.”

“Sure. What do you want to do now?”

“I don’t know. I haven’t thought about not having Anya in my life for years now.”

“Makes sense to me. Whatever you decide to do, I’ll support you.”

Georgi looked up, eyebrow raised. "Even if I decide to find a new girlfriend?"

"Yeah, of course. Only thing I've ever had against Anya is her breaking your heart like this."

"Even if I decide I want to try something with you?"

Mari shrugged. "Long as you don't go about it like an idiot and listen if I ask you to back off, sure, why not? We are soulmates, after all."


End file.
